


Ginger

by rosez_have_thornz



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bullying, First Meetings, Gen, High School, Name-Calling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-06
Updated: 2016-05-06
Packaged: 2018-06-06 17:04:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6762562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosez_have_thornz/pseuds/rosez_have_thornz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With a couple of years to go before he can attend Hogwarts, Hugo is forced to attend a muggle public school. In his first few days at a new middle school, he finds himself the victim of two older bullies. Bravery can come in many different forms, and sometimes there are more ways to resolve a problem then first thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ginger

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for this story is from a fantastic anti-bullying video on youtube by eisakay. For some reason I have always imagined it as Hugo and Scorpius in my head and finally just had to write it down.

As I reach the last block of my walk to school, I pull my knit cap down further past my ears and hold tightly to the straps of my backpack. It's a gorgeous day for a walk. Rays of sun warm the lightly freckled skin of my face as I make my way down the sidewalk. Of course, it isn't exactly walking through a brick wall, to get to a magical express train, followed by a magical boat ride to a massive castle.. but it's still a nice walk.

 

It sucks being the younger sibling, and also one of the youngest of my cousins. My entire life I have been hearing stories of how amazing Hogwarts is from my older cousins. It's only going to be another two years before I can attend, but it feels like a lifetime.

 

To get me “educated on basic worldy knowledge”, and to “socialize with other children my age”, my parents have forced me to attend a muggle public school since I was five. My mother, Hermoine Granger, well known in the wizarding world for her strong belief in good, thorough education, was rather insistent.

 

My older sister Rose was accepted into a prestigious private school due to her exceptional grades. They plan to “cultivate her brilliant mind”. It's going to be hard for her there. Don't get me wrong, I know that my sister is incredibly smart, but I've also seen how much work and time she puts in to get the amazing grades that she has been.

 

School work has always been a lot easy for me, and I can tell that that frustrates her to no end. I don't try very hard in my classes, but I still get really good grades. When I read something, I just, remember it.

 

I've been told that I may have an eidetic memory. A couple of my teachers have wanted to do some testing, but I declined. I'm just not particularly interested in putting a label on how I think.

 

It's my second day at the towns middle school, and despite the misleading pleasantness of the weather, I have a feeling that today it going to be just as awful as the last.

 

Why was yesterday so awful you're wondering? Well, apparently being the shortest boy in my class, with twigs for limbs, and flaming orange hair, makes me a perfect target for bullies. Two brutish boys, that I believe are in the grade above me, apparently think that my hair is quite the spectacle. Growing up in the Weasley family, I never really thought much of my hair colour, but yesterdays comments of “Freckle-face” and “Orange Goblin”, have me feeling more than a little self conscious if I'm being honest.

 

Luckily I make it into the school without sighting either of my recent tormentors. My classes pass uneventfully, and I choose to spend my lunch reading in the library to avoid any potential unpleasant interactions. I realize that I'm losing a good opportunity to make friends, but I'm pretty afraid of these guys okay? They are way larger than me and seem to have already taken a particular interest in ruining my life.

 

When the school day finally ends I make my way outside, feeling pretty optimistic that I've managed to dodge my bullies for the day. I round the side of the building heading towards home, and isn't it just my luck to see both of them heading in my direction. I think about turning around and heading away from them, but I also don't want to seem like a coward running away. So, I keep my pace and hope that I will be able to quietly walk past them uninterrupted. It's worth a shot right?

 

“Hey Ethan! Look it's Fire-crotch!”, I hear one of them shouting far louder than necessary. Some of the other students are still nearby and look over at us but don't really interfere or intervene. I do hear one girl let out a small chuckle at my expense, and another small group of tough looking kids near by just watch.

 

The second bully, now known as Ethan is wearing a cruel smile on his face when he looks at me.

 

“Hey Rust-nuts!”, he shouts at me even though we are only about six feet away now, “Do you know what gingers have to look forward to later in life?” I just keep walking a steady pace, eager to get past both of them and there cruel name-calling. “Grey hair!” he finishes, causing both of them to start laughing obnoxiously. As I'm finally passing by them, I suddenly feel my kit cap being pulled off of my head.

 

“Awe! Are you embarrassed of your flaming mop?” Ethan mocks at me, “ You want your hat back to hide your ugly hair?”

 

I don't know what to do. I don't want to get in a fight! I avert my gaze and it lands on one of the boys in the group near by. He looks like a tough kid, wearing mostly black, with striking blonde hair standing up in a stylishly messy way, and piercing silver eyes looking right back into mine. I know that he, his friends, and several other students are watching this scenario play out, but I can tell that I'm on my own.

 

I'm scared, and a bit hurt, and I hear myself mumble out a quick “keep it”, before I hurry away from them.

 

Once I'm out of their sight I run the rest of the way to the floo network connection that I use to get home.

 

 

Later that night my parents ask me again how school has been going, and just like last night, I lie. I've been told that if you're being bullied you should talk to an adult, but I'm embarrassed. My parents are heroes, revered for their bravery by all of wizarding kind, true Griffindors! And me, I'm the kid who abandoned the cap that my Grandma Molly knit for me last Christmas and then ran home with my tail between my legs.

 

I want to be brave, but I also don't want to get beat up, I mean, that's just common sense right? I still feel like a coward though. So, I put on the most convincing smile I can and I tell them that my day was fine.

 

The next day I wear a sweater with a hood on it. That way I can cover my hair, hopefully hide my identity, and also the hood can't get pulled off and taken away the way my cap was. Smart right?

 

Luckily my trip to school and throughout the day was once again uneventful, I just doodled through my lessons and spent my lunch time reading in the library. During lunch I found myself looking up every time I saw someone enter the room in the corner of my eye, nervous that Ethan and the other goon would find me there. But I made it through the day, and now I just have to make the walk home. Unfortunately the only way that I know how to get back to the nearest floo that I can use to go home, is the same path where I ran into the bullies last time. Hopefully if I leave the school really quickly I'll beat them there. I try to get out of the school as quickly as possible when the final bell rings, but the hallways are crowded and it takes me longer than I had hoped to finally get outside.

 

I round the corner of the building, still feeling hopeful, just to have those hopes crushed when I notice that basically everyone that had been there yesterday is already there, including the evil duo. It almost feels like dejavu. And now they're heading towards me.

 

I realize that I've frozen in place and I force myself to start slowly walking towards them as well. I need to be moving if I ever want to get past them. Hopefully I can still walk by without them physically hurting me. I can see them both sort of sneering in a cruel and confident way. When they are only a few feet away Ethan begins, “ Hey Pumpkin-head! What do you..” and then his words fall short as the cocky look on his face turns into one of nervous surprise. They walk past me without saying another word. I direct my gaze to where he had been looking, over to the side of the path, to the group of tough looking kids, and I meet the same piercing silver eyes as yesterday. Only this time one thing is different. His pale face is framed in bright orange hair.

 

**Author's Note:**

> The video on YouTube is only 50 seconds and so powerful. If you would like to watch the video (which I recommend) you can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWJut7KQhI4 
> 
> I am considering continuing this as a Scorpius/Hugo story. Would anyone be interested in reading that?


End file.
